Separator for liquids



May 16, 1961 H. E. MARVEL 2,934,351

ss mrox FOR uqums Original Filed Dec. 9, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet x 1'49 a5 HARVEY E. MARVEL mmvnm azzu1 W4 BY i RTTORNEY y 16, 1961 H. E. MARVEL 2,984,361

SEPARATOR FOR LIQUIDS Original Filed Dec. 9, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HHRVEY E man BY W ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,984,361 SEPARATOR FOR LIQUIDS Harvey 1!. Marvel, Fort Wayne, Ind assignmto Bowser, Inc, Fort Wayne, ind a corporation of Indiana 1 Claim. (CL 210-484) This invention relates to a separtor for liquids, especially emulsified liquids, and is particularly adapted for removing water from a water in oil emulsion such as water and gasoline, diesel oil, fuel oil, jet fuel, kerosene and other similar products. The full range of possible applications for this invention has not been explored so that it may be found suitable for separating other mixtures and emulsions and other types of emulsions than those mentioned.

It is an object of the invention to produce a separator which is in cartridge form and which can be readily replaced by a new cartridge when the original cartridge becomes fouled or is otherwise rendered inoperative.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cartridge structure which is inexpensive so that it can be discarded when necessary.

A further object of the invention is to provide a structure which can be manufactured without defects which would reduce the effectiveness of separation.

Yet another object is to provide a structure in which the separating medium is of substantially uniform density throughout.

Another object of the invention is to provide a separating medium which is made of glass fibers which are compressed to a predetermined density and bonded together to maintain said density.

It is another object of the invention to produce a cartridge by cementing together a plurality of hollow blocks of predensified fiber glass.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cartridge which has a substantially square cross-section (taken normal to the axis of the cartridge) so that a greater lateral area is available than in the case of a circular cylinder of comparable diameter and so that a. practical maximum efficiency in the use of material which is manufactured in square blocks, may be attained.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a cartridge as described above which is encased in a bag or stocking and which is further axially compressed between heads and within a cage.

Still another object is to provide an additional medium which is attached to the cage so as to surround it on the liquid discharge side in order to prevent the entrainment of one separated liquid in the other.

A further object of the invention is to provide the additional medium with a section which is pervious to only one of the separated liquids and with another section which is pervious to both separated liquids.

Still another object is to dispose the portion of the additional medium which is pervious to both liquids in a position to which one of said liquids will collect due to the differences in specific gravity of the liquids.

These and other objects will become apparent from a study of this specification and the drawings which are attached hereto are made a part hereof and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a separator tank showing the cartridges mounted therein and the preferred disposition of the fluid connections.

Patented May 16, 1961 "ice Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the separator cartridge taken substantially on line 2-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is an elevation view with parts in section showing the separtor cartridge.

Figure 4 is an enlarged view in section showing the blocks resilient cement seal.

This invention constitutes an improvement in the water coalescing cartridge disclosed in my prior application Serial No. 181,391 filed August 25, 1950 for Water Fuel Separator in which is disclosed the use of rings of fiber glass which are resin impregnated but which are not precompressed or predensified and consequently must be compressed as they are made into a cartridge and must be mechanically retained in the compressed state.

It is a lasorious and expensive procedure to manufacture such a cartridge by compacting successive stacks of fiber glass of a thickness at from 8 to 16 inches to a thickness of one inch and repeating this operation 30 or more times to form a single element. Further, in this process, the rings often become crumpled, bend over, folded and otherwise deformed or torn so that the cartridge may have channels through which the liquid mixture is by-passed. The degree of compression may also vary along the length of the cartridge.

In addition to the cost of the cartridge packed in accordance with the prior disclosure, there was a considerable loss because of defective cartridges.

in order to overcome these defects, I have developed a water coalescing cartridge which is made up of a fiber glass. bonded with a resin such as a phenol formaldehyde, thermosetting resin similar to that previously used except that the fiber glass mat is compressed during curing of the resin so that the fiber glass is held in the compressed or predensified state by the polymerized resin.

While the material can be made in a variety of densities, i prefer to utilize an eight pound density. That is, the weight of material which has been compressed to a cubic foot volume is eight pounds. The designation of the material by the manufacturer is Owens-Corning Aerocor PF-3l4.

This material is prepared in square slabs or blocks which are approximately two inches thick in the predensified but not mechanically restrained condition. From the block is cut a plurality of tubular elements or sections 1 which are preferably square with the internal and external corners rounded.

Bearing in mind that the sections are approximately two inches thick, a sufficient number of them are stacked freely on a mandrel to a length of some 34 or 35 inches to form a single element 1A. The sections may be cemented 42 (Figure 4) together if desired but are preferably free.

A sleeve or stocking 7. of cotton, knit tubing which is of ribbed construction so that it will yield radially, is pulled over the assembled sections and the ends of the sleeve are bent over the end surfaces of the end sectio..s and are cemented thereto with a suitable resilient cement. The sleeve is pervious to both water and oil.

After the cement has set the completed cartridge 2A is withdrawn from the mandrel and is ready for use.

Since the cartridge is not structurally able to withstand the required diflerential of pressures usually encountered in the separating process, it is housed in a cage 3 which has a cross-sectional form similar to that of the cartridge and is of perforated metal or similar material. The dimensions of the cartridge and cage are such that the cartridge, including the stocking slide easily into the cage but, of course, the cage and cartridge should fit reasonably close, so that the cartridge will not be excessively strained when differential pressure is applied in an inside out direction.

of the cartridge with parts cemented together and the The cage 3 is provided with a bottom head 5 which is provided with four down-turned ears 7 which are bent outwardly at their free ends 8. The head enters the cage to the point that the ends 8 contact the cage and IS fixed thereto as by welding. The head is provided with a central opening 9 and is formed or dished to provided a central recess 11 which serves to center a coupling or conduit 13 which is then brazed to the head at 15.

The coupling is provided with a recess 17 adjacent the end which is fixed to the head and a gasket 19 is deposited therein. The other end of the coupling is provided with a tapered recess 21 which converges inwardly toward a threaded section 23 and serves to guide the coupling into place on a nipple 25 which projects upwardly from the deckplate 27 of the tank 29. The coupling is also externally grooved at 31 for a purpose to be described.

A top ring is provided at its inner side with downturned cars 33 which are welded or otherwise fixed to the walls of the cage near the upper end thereof so that the surface of the ring is flush with the end of the cage. The ring is entirely outside of the cage so that it does not impede the insertion or withdrawal of a cartridge.

A circular cap 37 is provided with a peripheral, axially downwardly extending rim flange 39 which encompasses the ring 35. The flange is grooved at 41 for a purpose to be described.

The ring is provided with suitable tapped holes and the cap with openings for the reception of screws 43' which hold the cap in place or: the ring.

The cap 37 is provided with a flat seat 38 and the head 5 is provided with a flat seat 6, which are disposed in a position to contact the ends of a carriage which is positioned in the cage.

As stated above the cartridge in the free state. as manutactured, has a length of between 34 and 35 inches whereas the distance between the hat surface 6 on the head and the flat surface 38 on the cap is approximately 31.5 inches when the cap is in place. Thus the cartridge is compressed a substantial amount during the installation of the cap. The end surfaces of the cartridge are therefore in pressure contact with the surface 6 and 38 throughout the entire periphery of the cartridge so that the passage of liquid between the cartridge and the head and cap is precluded. This compression also insures that each ring of fiber glass is in sealing relation with the adjacent rings when these rings are not cemented together.

Further, to insure a seal, between the end of the cartridge and the surface 6 and 38, resilient cement 40 may be applied to the stocking, which is folded over the end of the fiber glass element, in sutiicient quantity to fill the grooves of the stocking. Thus the cement will be in continuous contact with the surfaces and the cartridge and a seal is insured.

An outer collector sleeve 43 is constructed of a cylindrical tube 45 of Nylon" cloth or page cloth, made of 25% wool and 75% cotton, at the upper end which is sewn at 47 to a cylindrical tube 49 of linen toweling which extends donwwardly. A cord 51 such as a mercerized cotton shoe string is used to tie the upper edge of the collector sleeve in the groove 41. The string is held in place by the groove 41 which it and the interposed cloth enter.

For certain types of liquid mixtures and emulsions the use of 90 mesh stainless steel screen has proven satisfactory for the upper section of the collector sleeve.

A similar cord or string 53 is used to hold the lower end of the toweling 49 to the coupling where the groove 31 serves to hold the cord and cloth in place. The toweling cylinder is preferably looped upwardly to the coupling as shown in Figure 3 so that a pocket is formed to receive the heavier of the separated constituents.

The upper section of the collector sleeve extends to within a few inches of the bottom of the cage 3 so that the separated heavier constituent which is restrained by the upper section will be forced to travel downwardly until it reaches the lower section which will permit the heavier constituent to pass through. Thus the undesired or heavier constituent is collected in the pocket of the collector sleeve and flows to the lower part of chamber 57. The other lighter constituent flows through the upper section of the sleeve and collects in the upper port of chamber 57 until the level of the outlet tube 63 has been reached.

Referring to Figure 1, it will be seen that the tank 29 is provided with deckplate 27 extending across its lower end to form an inlet chamber 55 and an cfiluent chamber 57. The tank has a cover 59 which can be opened to permit access to the compartment 57.

An inlet connection 60 communicates with the compartment 55 and an outlet connection 61 comprises a tube 63 which extends through the deckplate and terminates adjacent the upper end of the chamber 57.

A drain tube 65 is fixed in the deckplate and communicates with the lower part of the chamber 57. A vent 67 is provided in the cover.

It will also be seen that the nipples 25 are set in the deck plate and communicate with the inlet chamber 55 at one end and with the separator cartridge at the other.

Thus the liquid mixture or emulsion flows through inlet 60, into chamber 55, through nipples 25 couplings l3, radially outwardly through the cartridge 1, stocking 2 and cage 3 into the space between the cage and the interior of the sleeve 43, which, as is shown in Figure 3, is held spaced from the cage by the cover 37 which projects beyond the cage.

As the liquid emerges from the cartridge it is separated into its constituent liquids. In the case of water and oil emulsions, or other mixtures, the water tends to settle to the bottom and the oil tends to carry the water with it. The function of the sleeve is a prevent the continued entrainment of the water in the oil. The water globules are trapped by collector sleeve cylinder 45 and flows downwardly, there along while the oil passes through it very readily. The water is thus given time to settle toward the bottom of the unit where it collects in the pocket formed in the lower cylinder. The lower portion, being made of linen toweling, does not prevent the passage of the water. The globules grerge into a body and the water pours in streams throirgh the toweling and collects adjacent the deckplate in chamber 57. It may be drawn ofi when required through drain 65.

The other liquid is drawn off from adjacent the top of the chamber 57 in order to minimize the chance of carrying entrained water over into the discharge pipe. The vent is opened when the tank is drained or filled.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the form, structure and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, applicant does not desire to be limited to the specific embodiment disclosed herein primarily for purposes of illustration; but instead, he desires protection falling fairly within the scope of the appended claim.

This application is a division of my application Serial Number 397,195, filed December 9, 1953, now Patent Number 2,800,232.

What I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A method of forming a water coalescing cartridge consisting of forming a body of fiber glass material, impregnating the body throughout with a binder, compressing the body thus impregnated to a predetermined uniform density of substantially eight pounds per cubic foot, curing the binder while the material is compressed so that it will retain its compressed density thus obtaining a substantially uniform density throughout its entire body, separating the body into a plurality of tubular elements and then stacking a number of such elements in superimposed position with respect to each other and then securing said stcked elements together by a porous covering.

References Clted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Ahliiian Oct. 6, 1953 Mankin Nov. 3, 1953 Schwzartz Nov. 16, 1954 Cums Ian. 25, 1955 Marvel Dec. 6, 1955 Briggs May 22, 1956 Bottom Mir- 3. 1959 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 2,984 361 May 16, 1961 Harvey E. Marvel 7 It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3 line 32, for "carriage" read cartridge Signed and sealed this 10th day of October 1961.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER h DAVID L. LADD Atteating Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC 

